Question

The first prokaryotes ( 4BYA) MOST LIKELY used ___ metabolism. [think about the absence of other living organisms AND remember that early photosynthesis did not evolve for another billion years]

1) chemoheterotroph
2) photoheterotroph
3) photoautotroph
4) chemoautotroph

Answer 1

The first prokaryotes (4BYA) most likely used chemoheterotroph metabolism. Chemoheterotrophs obtain both energy and carbon from other organisms.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the information provided, the first prokaryotes (4BYA) most likely used chemoheterotroph metabolism.

Chemoheterotrophs obtain both energy and carbon from other organisms, which fits the description of prokaryotes depending on other organisms for both energy and carbon.

In the absence of other living organisms and considering that early photosynthesis did not evolve for another billion years, chemoheterotroph metabolism would have been the most likely strategy for the first prokaryotes.